The National Wildlife Refuge Association is thrilled to see a large increase for the National Wildlife Refuge System Operations and Maintenance Fund in the President’s FY2022 budget request. This increase to $584.4 million, $80.5 million more than current enacted funding, will go towards hiring additional staff to tackle invasive species, protect wildlife and habitat, and perform biological work and visitor services on wildlife refuges. This request is historic: $584 million is by far the largest proposed budget for Refuge System O&M ever.

Black-tailed prairie dog enjoying dinner at Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma

“We very much appreciate all the hard work and commitment shown through the delivery of this budget request by the career staff in the U.S. Fish and WIldlife Service and the National Wildlife Refuge System, as well as the political staff who pushed these numbers through,” said Caroline Brouwer, Vice President of Government Affairs. “Our goal is to get these numbers enacted by Congress in the FY2022 appropriations package so the System can begin to rebuild after a decade of neglect and inadequate funding.”

While we celebrate this much-needed increase, we must now turn our attention to Congress, who makes the final decision on funding levels. The Administration’s support for such a large increase in funding will go a long way to establishing their priorities, and we at the Refuge Association are excited to get these funding levels pushed through to the finish line.